US4955982A — Raised depressible pavement marker

Claim 1

Independent Claim 211 words

A depressible, reflective, pavement marker comprising: a base receptacle adapted to be fixedly secured to the walls of a cavity formed within a pavement, said base receptacle having an upper end portion adapted to be positioned at or below the upper surface of said pavement whereby snow removal equipment may move thereacross without damaging said receptacle; a piston assembly freely movable within said base and including a reflector, portions of said piston assembly normally protruding above the base and the pavement surface, said portions being depressible downwardly into said base; said piston assembly including metal wear members associated with said protruding portions of said piston operative to resist abrasive wear resulting from foreign objects moving across said protruding portions; and a resilient, compressible, substantially water impervious mass filling substantially all the space within said piston assembly and within said base and biasing said piston assembly upwardly to protrude above said base, said mass minimizing void space in said piston assembly and said base to effectively inhibit accumulation of water therewithin without requiring reliance upon sealing means operating between said piston and said receptacle whereby piston movement preventing ice formation within said chamber is effectively resisted and movability of said piston within said chamber is maintained without regard to ambient climatic conditions.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 211 words

A depressible, reflective, pavement marker comprising: a base receptacle adapted to be fixedly secured to the walls of a cavity formed within a pavement, said base receptacle having an upper end portion adapted to be positioned at or below the upper surface of said pavement whereby snow removal equipment may move thereacross without damaging said receptacle; a piston assembly freely movable within said base and including a reflector, portions of said piston assembly normally protruding above the base and the pavement surface, said portions being depressible downwardly into said base; said piston assembly including metal wear members associated with said protruding portions of said piston operative to resist abrasive wear resulting from foreign objects moving across said protruding portions; and a resilient, compressible, substantially water impervious mass filling substantially all the space within said piston assembly and within said base and biasing said piston assembly upwardly to protrude above said base, said mass minimizing void space in said piston assembly and said base to effectively inhibit accumulation of water therewithin without requiring reliance upon sealing means operating between said piston and said receptacle whereby piston movement preventing ice formation within said chamber is effectively resisted and movability of said piston within said chamber is maintained without regard to ambient climatic conditions.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mass comprises a gas filled bladder.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 30 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mass comprises an elastomeric material shaped to substantially fit matingly within the space between said piston assembly and said base.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 3 wherein said elastomeric material comprises a synthetic resin foam having a water impervious outer layer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 3 wherein said elastomeric material comprises a synthetic resin closed cell foam.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 5 wherein a mechanical spring is embedded within said elastomeric material mass.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 3 wherein a mechanical spring is embedded within said elastomeric material mass.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 3 wherein said base and said piston assembly are circularly symmetrical about a central axis and said elastomeric mass comprises a plurality of disks.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 1 wherein the interior of said base is a cylinder and said piston assembly is a piston which matingly slides within said cylinder and wherein said mass comprises closed cell synthetic resin foam.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 9 wherein a mechanical spring is embedded within said elastomeric material mass.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said piston assembly is selectively removable from said base receptacle.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 40 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said protruding portions of said piston assembly includes an inclined ramp surface for protecting said reflector and deflecting said piston assembly downward in response to a force on said ramp surface.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 12 wherein said piston assembly is molded from a structural plastic material.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 22 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 13 wherein said ramp is reinforced by said wear member embedded within said ramp surface.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

A pavement marker according to claim 14 wherein said wear member further comprises a wire reinforcement member.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 180 words

A depressible pavement marker comprising: a base receptacle adapted to be fixedly secured within a cavity formed in a pavement, said receptacle having sidewalls defining a chamber open at the top thereof; a piston member slidably disposed within said base receptacle and including an outwardly projecting portion normally extending above said pavement surface; light directing means carried by said outwardly projecting portion of said piston; cooperating means provided on said piston and said base receptacle to allow substantially free sliding movement of said piston within said receptacle between raised and depressed positions; a resilient compressible substantially water impervious mass filling substantially all of the remaining space within said chamber, said mass being operative to bias said piston member outwardly from said receptacle, said cooperating means being operative to limit outward movement of said piston member; releasable retaining means inserted between said piston and said receptacle to present relative rotation therebetween, said retaining means being removable to allow relative rotational movement between said piston and said receptacle to enable removal of said piston from said receptacle through said open top thereof.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 180 words

A depressible pavement marker comprising: a base receptacle adapted to be fixedly secured within a cavity formed in a pavement, said receptacle having sidewalls defining a chamber open at the top thereof; a piston member slidably disposed within said base receptacle and including an outwardly projecting portion normally extending above said pavement surface; light directing means carried by said outwardly projecting portion of said piston; cooperating means provided on said piston and said base receptacle to allow substantially free sliding movement of said piston within said receptacle between raised and depressed positions; a resilient compressible substantially water impervious mass filling substantially all of the remaining space within said chamber, said mass being operative to bias said piston member outwardly from said receptacle, said cooperating means being operative to limit outward movement of said piston member; releasable retaining means inserted between said piston and said receptacle to present relative rotation therebetween, said retaining means being removable to allow relative rotational movement between said piston and said receptacle to enable removal of said piston from said receptacle through said open top thereof.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 16 wherein the outer surface of said bottom of said receptacle is recessed to accommodate irregularities in the bottom surface of said cavity.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 39 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 16 wherein said outwardly projecting portion includes inclined sidewalls having wear means associated therewith, said wear means being operative to resist abrasive wear resulting from foreign objects moving along said inclined surfaces.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 18 wherein said wear means comprise metal strips incorporated in said surfaces.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 126 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 16 wherein said cooperating means comprise a first slot provided on said base opening outwardly from the open end of said receptacle and elongated in the direction of piston movement within said receptacle, a second elongated slot provided on said base having a longitudinal axis extending parallel to but laterally displaced from the longitudinal axis of said first slot and laterally extending passage means interconnecting said first and second slots, a tab portion on said piston, said tab portion being adapted to be moved through said first slot into said second slot during assembly of said piston to said receptacle and to thereafter cooperate with said second slot to limit movement of said piston assembly outwardly of said receptacle.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said retaining means comprises an elongated locking spike removably received within said first slot.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 228 words

A depressible pavement marker comprising: a base receptacle adapted to be fixedly secured within a cavity formed in a pavement, said receptacle having sidewalls defining a chamber open at the top thereof, said base receptacle having an upper end portion adapted to be positioned at or below the upper surface of said pavement whereby snow removal equipment may move thereacross without damaging said receptacle; a piston member slidably disposed within said base receptacle and including an outwardly projecting portion normally extending above said pavement surface; light directing means carried by said outwardly projecting portion of said piston; cooperating means provided on said piston and said base receptacle to allow substantially free sliding movement of said piston within said receptacle between raised and depressed positions; a resilient compressible substantially water impervious mass filling substantially all of the remaining space within said chamber, said mass being operative to bias said piston member outwardly from said receptacle, said cooperating means being operative to limit movement of said piston member, said water impervious mass minimizing void space in said piston and said base to effectively inhibit accumulation of water within said chamber without reliance on sealing means operating between said piston and said receptacles whereby piston movement preventing ice formation within said chamber is effectively resisted and movability of said piston within said chamber is maintained without regard to ambient climatic conditions.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 228 words

A depressible pavement marker comprising: a base receptacle adapted to be fixedly secured within a cavity formed in a pavement, said receptacle having sidewalls defining a chamber open at the top thereof, said base receptacle having an upper end portion adapted to be positioned at or below the upper surface of said pavement whereby snow removal equipment may move thereacross without damaging said receptacle; a piston member slidably disposed within said base receptacle and including an outwardly projecting portion normally extending above said pavement surface; light directing means carried by said outwardly projecting portion of said piston; cooperating means provided on said piston and said base receptacle to allow substantially free sliding movement of said piston within said receptacle between raised and depressed positions; a resilient compressible substantially water impervious mass filling substantially all of the remaining space within said chamber, said mass being operative to bias said piston member outwardly from said receptacle, said cooperating means being operative to limit movement of said piston member, said water impervious mass minimizing void space in said piston and said base to effectively inhibit accumulation of water within said chamber without reliance on sealing means operating between said piston and said receptacles whereby piston movement preventing ice formation within said chamber is effectively resisted and movability of said piston within said chamber is maintained without regard to ambient climatic conditions.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 25 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 22 wherein said piston is removable from said base to facilitate replacement thereof should said piston become damaged.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 20 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 22 wherein said piston and said base are fabricated from a polymeric composition.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 30 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 22 wherein the outer surface of said bottom of said receptacle is recessed to accommodate irregularities in the bottom surface of said cavity.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 39 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 22 wherein said outwardly projecting portion includes inclined sidewalls having wear means associated therewith, said wear means being operative to resist abrasive wear resulting from foreign objects moving along said inclined surfaces.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 19 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 18 wherein said wear means comprise metal strips incorporated in said surfaces.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 126 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 22 wherein said cooperating means comprise a first slot provided on said base opening outwardly from the open end of said receptacle and elongated in the direction of piston movement within said receptacle, a second elongated slot provided on said base having a longitudinal axis extending parallel to but laterally displaced from the longitudinal axis of said first slot and laterally extending passage means interconnecting said first and second slots, a tab portion on said piston, said tab portion being adapted to be moved through said first slot into said second slot during assembly of said piston to said receptacle and to thereafter cooperate with said second slot to limit movement of said piston assembly outwardly of said receptacle.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 52 words

A pavement marker in accordance with claim 21 further comprising an elongated locking spike removably received within said first slot, said locking spike being operative to prevent rotation and removal of said piston when inserted in said first slot and to enable removal of said piston when removed from said first slot.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-09-10	1994-03-12	1994-09-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-09-10	1998-03-12	1998-09-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-09-10	2002-03-12	2002-09-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Raised depressible pavement marker

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag